Home is Where the Heart is

Snow Baby [Modern]

"I'm going to try clearing the front walk before the snow gets too bad, can you call me back inside in about half an hour?" Glancing around the back of the couch to see Alma pulling gloves and boots on, he moved to sit up a little from how he was laying on his side.

"I'll try, make sure to wear your scarf properly this time though." Hearing a short laugh from the older adult, he tried to relax again, fixing the pillow that he had brought out from their bedroom. He was laying on the couch keeping an eye on the disaster duo that were his eighteen month old daughter and son who were thankfully down for a nap for now. Glancing down to his middle as he felt a few soft nudges, he pulled the sweater up a little to see if he could catch sight of the shifting little girl through the pale skin. Catching sight of the overdue child pressing her foot up towards him, he was very gentle as he lightly traced one of his fingers over the small bump that was made. It was uncomfortable when she did press like that, but it was something he could handle until the little one got fussy. He wasn't fully paying attention to the clock, instead just trying to keep from falling asleep when he heard the front door open again. Did he forget to call Alma back inside after half an hour?

"Put your wet clothes on top of the washer and get something dry on to wear. I can't believe the driver made you walk from the end of the street." Hearing his husband from by the front door, he moved to sit up as carefully as he could so he wouldn't shift his weight oddly and give himself a cramp, glancing over the back of the couch to catch sight of their nearly six year old son running down the hall in soaked clothes minus sneakers. Those sat by the front door covered in snow he found out after pushing himself up off the couch.

"Did I miss the time to call you back in? I'm sorry." Hearing a soft laugh as he moved to the linen closet to grab towels and blankets for the two, he rose an eyebrow at the light expression the other had.

"It hasn't even been twenty minutes, Allen, don't worry. Apparently the snowstorm is supposed to be getting worse in the next few hours so they sent the kids home early so they wouldn't be stuck at the school. Doesn't explain why the bus driver dropped a group of elementary school children off nearly two blocks away but I'll question that later on." Sighing softly in mild relief, glad that he hadn't left Alma outside for over an hour by accident, he watched as Ryuuji came back down the hallway, clothes dry but hair soaked.

"Hold still while I dry your hair, Ryuu, we don't want you getting sick alright?" Smiling at the nod he got,  he barely saw as Alma went back outside while he was getting the young boy dry.

"Mummy? Read to me?" Blinking a few times, he held the used towel in his right hand as his left hand sat on top of his stomach, able to tell that the infant had started to rest thankfully.

"Of course. Why don't you grab a book and one of your blankets while I start the wash?" Watching as the black haired boy ran back down the hallway to grab what he was told, he shook his head lightly, glad to see his eldest son so excited. Getting the wet clothes and towel into the wash, he pressed his knuckles into the arch of his spine, his back aching despite how he hadn't been standing for even fifteen minutes. Hearing three voices from the living room as he took careful steps towards them, he caught the three awake and alert, Ryuuji trying to pull his little brother Kyō up onto the couch while their sister Ami was toddling around trying to find a way to get up there herself he guessed. Watching the trio catch onto being watched, he jumped a little in startled shock as Ryuuji let go of his brother to wave at him, the youngest of the trio starting to cry upon landing back on the floor.